Students’ self-perceptions of mindfulness after learningmindfulness techniques in a professional skills course

• Dara Dirhan ^[1] ; Alessandra Sarcona ^[1]
  1. [1] Department of Nutrition, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, United States of America.
• Localización: 7th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd’21): June 22-23, 2021 Valencia, Spain / coord. por Josep Domènech i de Soria, Paloma Merello Giménez, Elena de la Poza Plaza, 2021, ISBN 978-84-9048-975-8, págs. 535-543
• Idioma: inglés
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  • In this paper, we describe the effect of incorporating two mindfulness techniques (keeping a diary and motivational interviewing) in a professional skills course, and the impact these had on students’ self-perceptions of mindfulness. Over a fourteen-week semester, students were asked to keep a diary at four different time points and were also taught motivational interviewing skills, which they had to apply to a four-part counseling project.

    Using a pre-post study design and the validated tool, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), we measured students’ perceptions of mindfulness pre-course and post-course. Results from the study indicated that students’ perceptions of mindfulness significantly increased from pre-course to postcourse.

    Further, most students agreed that both the diary assignments and practicing motivational interviewing increased mindfulness from pre-course to post-course. Additionally, a majority of students reported that practicing motivational interviewing enhanced their counseling skills on the four-part counseling project and that the four diary assignments improved their writing skills. This study underscores the importance of incorporating mindfulness techniques into a professional skills course to increase students’ mindfulness, which can further benefit the student by increasing students’ professional skills to become more competent counselors and writers